Bag



Dec. 3, 1957 E. LlTTL E, SR., Er AL ,8

BAG

Filed Dec. 3. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 3, 1957 Filed Dec. 5, 1954 1..E. LITTLE, SR, ETAL 2,815,165

BAG

I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 States atent Patented Dec. 3, 1957 BAG ApplicationDecember 3, 1954, Serial No. 472,806

15 Claims. (Cl. 229-625) This invention relates to bags, and moreparticularly to valve bags such as are used for granular materials(fertilizer, for example) and which are filled by means of a fillingspout received in the valve.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our coassigned copendingapplication entitled Bag, Serial No. 450,643, filed August 18, 1954, nowabandoned.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision ofa bag of the class described having an improved valve which is adaptedautomatically to provide a tight closure of the valve opening uponremoval of the bag from the filling spout after the bag has been filled;the provision of a valve including a flexible valve sleeve (which may beeither an integral part of the bag proper or a separate member attachedto the bag proper) formed to provide a closure flap at its inner endwhich is adapted automatically to be tucked into a position blocking theinner end of the valve upon removal of the bag from the filling spoutafter the bag has been filled; and the provision of an economical valveas described which is reliable in operation to effect such tucking ofthe closure flap as substantially to block the valve opening simply inresponse to removal of the bag from the spout after filling. Otherobjects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafterdescribed, the scope of the invention being indicated in the followingclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possibleembodiments of the invention are illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a perspective illustrating a bag having a valve of thisinvention as it appears prior to providing an end closure at the valvedend of the bag, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section in the central plane of the valve,showing the bag provided with the end closure;

Fig. 3 is a plan of a valve sleeve per se;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but on a smaller scale, showing theclosure flap at the inner end of the valve sleeve as it appears whentucked upwardly and outwardly into the inner end of the sleeve;

Fig. 5 is a view of a fragment of a bag having a modified form of valveconstruction of this invention, the view showing a part of the inside ofthe bag as it appears if spread flat;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but on a smaller scale, showing themodified valve construction of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a further modification of thevalve construction;

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 2 showing the modified valveconstruction of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8, thicknesses'beingexaggerated; and,

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the sleeve of Figs. 7-9.

iii)

-: in (below) the end closure 13.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, there is indicated at 1 in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 amulti-ply paper bag which is provided with a valve of this invention. Asshown, the bag is a gusseted bag having three plies. The inner ply isdesignated 3, the intermediate ply is designated 5 and the outer ply isdesignated 7. It will be understood that the basic principles of theinvention are applicable to a bag having any number of plies, or even toa single ply bag.

The bag has a conventional tucked-in valve flap 9 at one of the cornersat the upper end of the bag. At 11 is shown a valve sleeve of thisinvention which projects from the valve flap into the bag. As shown inFigs. 1

and 2, the valve sleeve 11 (illustrated per se in Fig. 3)

comprises a blank of flexible paper which is inserted between the innerply 3 and the intermediate ply 5 after the tucking in of the valve flap9 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. After the insertion of the sleeve in thetucked-in valve flap 9, the respective end of the bag is provided with aclosure indicated at 13 (see Figs. 2 and 4-). As shown, this closurecomprises a conventional stitched seam securing together the front andback walls of the bag, also including a paper tape 15 folded around themouth of the bag, the folded tape being caught by the stitching. Thevalve flap 9 has a central fold indicated at 17 and sleeve 11 is foldedin half on a central fold 19 in line with and in extension of the fold17, folds 17 and 19 being spaced from closure 13.

The sleeve 11 is shaped to have a base portion 21 having a total widthcorresponding to the total width of the inner end edge 23 of the valveflap. The outer corners of the base portion of the sleeve are cut off ata 45 angle as indicated at 25, and the sleeve is inserted between theinner ply 3 and the intermediate ply 5 to the point where these 45angled corners 25 engage the 45 folds 27 on which the valve flap 9 isfolded in. As shown best in Fig. 2, the sleeve is pasted to the innerply 3 adjacent the inner end edge 23 of the valve flap by means of astripe of adhesive, such as paste, 29 extending from one side edge ofthe base portion 21 of the sleeve to the other side edge of the baseportion. This stripe of adhesive prevents sifting of the contents of thebag between the inner ply 3 and the sleeve. It will t; be understoodthat under some circumstances it may be more desirable from themanufacturing standpoint to adhere the sleeve to the inner ply by meansof spots of adhesive, rather than a continuous stripe of adhesive, toavoid undue stiffening of the bag where it needs to be folded to tuck inthe valve flap. Thus, when spots are used instead of a stripe ofadhesive, the spots are so located as not to be coincident with folds27. The base portion projects inward for some distance from the innerend edge 23 of the valve flap 9 and the side margins of the base portionare caught in the end closure 13.

The sleeve 11 has a reduced extension generally designated 31 projectinginward from the base 21. This extension is folded in half on the centralfold 19 of the sleeve. The extension is so shaped that, as folded inhalf in the bag, its two halves have inclined edges 33 which convergetoward the central fold 19 of the sleeve in inward direction (see Figs.1 and 2). These edges 33 intersect the base portion 21 at points 35with- Accordingly, the extension is free of the closure 13. As shown,edges 33 preferably converge toward the central fold at an angle of Theextension 31 has a nose portion 37 defined by the inner end edge 39 ofthe extension, which is cut oif at right angles to the central fold 19,and short side edges 41 parallel to the central fold 19. The corners ofthe nose are relieved by cutting them ofi at an angle of 45 as indicatedat 43. The sleeve has a central slit 45 at its inner end. This slit ispreferably made with its sides divergent toward the inner end of thesleeve, and the corners at the end of the slit are relieved by cuttingthem off at an angle of 135 to the inner .end of edge 39 as shown at 47.

The sleeve 11 is formed with two inclined creases, one in each halfthereof, and each designated 49, .extending from a common point 51 inthe central told 19 of the sleeve to the inclined edges 33 of theextension 31. These creases 49 diverge away from the central fold 19 ofthe sleeve in inward direction, preferably at .an angle of 45 to thecentral fold 19, hence at right angles to the edges 33. They define in.conjunction with the central fold 19 a closure flap F adapted to betucked upwardly and outwardly completely into the inner end .of thesleeve as shown in Fig. 4. This closure flap is constituted by theportion of the sleeve lying between the creases 49 and the inner end ofthe extension 31. The point 51, which is the intersection of the creases49 and the central fold 19, is shown as being located inward of theinner end edge 23 of the valve flap 9, and is spaced from the inner endedge 39 of the extension 31 a distance somewhat less than the distancefrom the closure 13 to the central fold 19 but such that the closureflap F, when tucked completely into the inner end of the sleeve, extendsubstantially to the closure 13 to block the sleeve. The point 51 may belocated directly at the inner end edge of the valve flap.

Prior to filling the bag, the sleeve 11 is in the open condition shownin Fig. 2. It will be understood that the bag is usually filled byhanging it on a filling spout (not shown), the spout extending throughthe valve flap 9 and the sleeve 11. Then, material is delivered throughthe spout into the bag. When the bag is filled, it is slipped off thespout and dropped onto a conveyor, landing on the conveyor in ahorizontal position lying on its side opposite the side of the bag whichincludes the valve. As the bag drops onto the conveyor, its contentspour toward the valved end of the bag. After the filled bag is slippedoff the spout, and before the contents pouring toward the valved end ofthe bag reach the valve, the closure flap F automatically assumes aposition preventing entry of material into the sleeve. Ideally, the flapF assumes a position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 4, tuckedcompletely into the inner end of the sleeve. This ideal condition isattained in a considerable number of cases. In other cases, while thefiap F is not tucked completely into the inner end of the sleeve, theflap F automatically assumes a position engaging the valved end of thebag to prevent the material pouring toward the valved end of the bagfrom entering the sleeve. This is of utmost importance because if anysubstantial amount of material enters the sleeve as the bag drops ontothe conveyor, leakage is apt to occur subsequently through the sleeve.It is believed that the automatic tucking of the flap F into itssleeve-blocking position occurs either due to air pressure being builtup in the bag during the filling, this pressure acting on the flap Fwhen the bag is taken off the filling spout, or due to a puff of airfrom within the bag acting upon the flap as the material pours towardthe valved end of the bag, or both. It will be understood that the flapF, in assuming the Fig. 4 sleeve-blocking position, is reversely foldedas regards its initial condition, folding in half on the fold line 19and its two halves hinging into the inner end of the sleeve on thecrease lines 49. When the flap F is in the Fig. 4 position, the innerend edge 39 of the extension lies closely adjacent the closure 13. Asherein illustrated, the crease lines 49 intersect the inclined edges 33generally at the mid-points .of these edges, and the side edges 41 ofthe nose 37 lJCCOIllB generally coincident with the inner edge portions53 of the base portion 21 of the sleeve.

Figs. and-6 illustrate a modified construction wherein the sleeve,designated 11a, instead of being constituted by a separate piece 'ofpaper, is constituted by an integral extension of the inner ply 3 of thebag. Otherwise, the sleeve 11a shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is identical tothe sleeve 11 shown in Figs. 1-4, and has the same reference charactersapplied thereto as the sleeve 11 to designate the corresponding parts.In manufacturing bags of the type shown in Figs. 5 and 6 in which thesleeve 11a is an integral extension of the inner ply, the bags aresegmented from a continuous tube, as will be understood in the art, andthe material for the sleeve 11a of any a given bag is taken from thebottom of the inner ply of an adjacent bag. The result is that each baghas a cut-out in its inner ply at the bottom having a shapecorresponding to that of the sleeve. This cut-out is indicated at 55 inFig. 5. In order to prevent sifting of the bag contents through thiscut-out between the inner ply and the next ply, these plies are adhered(pasted) together all around the cut-out as indicated at 57 in Fig. 5.It will be understood that instead of making the sleeve an integralextension of the inner ply, it may be made an integral extension of anintermediate ply, in which case pasting at the bottom of the bag aroundthe corresponding cut-out in the intermediate ply is not required.

It will be understood that in some cases the creases 49 may be formed.as lines 'of perforations, instead of as score lines as shown in thedrawings herein.

Figs. 7-10 show a modification of the construction shown in Figs. 1-4wherein the sleeve 11, in addition to being centrally folded at 19, alsohas a reversely folded generally triangular inner end flap indicated at61 disposed between the sides of the sleeve. This fiap 61 is defined byfold lines 63 which radiate from the point 51 on the central told 19 ofthe sleeve to the inner end edge 39 .of the nose portion 37. The foldlines 63 diverge away from the central fold at an angle less than theangle of creases 49, preferably at an angle of about 10. The .flap 61 isreversely folded in half on line 19, and the folded flap thereby has twogenerally triangular sides 65 each bounded by a portion of line 19, arespective side of the slit 45, the respective portion of the inner endedge 39, and the respective fold line 63, being contained between .thesides of-the sleeve. The sleeve 11 may be precreased on lines 63 priorto its assembly with the bag as shown in Fig. 10, or the folding onlines 63 may be effected during the operation of forming the valve.

The reversely folded flap 61 facilitates the tucking of the flap F intoits sleeve-blocking position. This is believed .to be .due to the factthat when the bag is placed on .the spout the sidesof the sleeve arespread apart, and the reversely folded flap v61 is spread fiat orsubstantially flat, thereby presenting a triangular area of paper toreceive the force ,of .air to cause the tucking of the flap F.

In view of the above, ,it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

We claim:

1. In a bag, a valve extending into the bag at one corner and adapted toreceive a filling spout, the valve including an inwardly-extendingflexible valve sleeve, the bag having a closure at the respective endthereof, the sleeve being folded in half on acentral fold spaced fromthe closure, the sleeve having two inclined creases, one in each halfthereof, extending from a common point in said central fold anddiverging .away from the central fold :in inward direction, :the creasesin conjunction with the central fold defining a flap adapted to betucked into a position blocking the inner end of the valve.

2. In a bag, a valve extending into the bag at one corner and adaptedfor insertion of a filling spout, the valve including an inwardlyextending flexible valve sleeve, the bag having a closure at therespective end thereof, the sleeve being folded in half on a centralfold spaced from the closure, the sleeve having an inner end extensionhaving inclined edges converging toward the central fold in inwarddirection and being free of the closure, the sleeve having two inclinedcreases, one in each half thereof, extending from a common point in saidcentral fold to said inclined edges, said creases diverging away fromthe central fold in inward direction and defining in conjunction withthe central fold line a flap adapted to be tucked into the inner end ofthe sleeve, said common point being spaced from the inner end of saidextension a distance such that said flap, when tucked completely intothe inner end of the sleeve, extends substantially to said bag endclosure.

3. In a bag, a tucked-in valve flap at one of the corners at one end ofthe bag, the bag having a closure at said end, the valve flap having acentral fold spaced from said closure, a flexible sleeve projecting fromthe valve flap into the bag, said sleeve being folded in half on acentral fold in line with the central fold of the valve flap, saidsleeve comprising a base portion having a total width corresponding tothe total width of the inner end edge of the valve flap, the sidemargins of the base portion being caught in said end closure, saidsleeve having an extension projecting inward from said base portion,said extension being folded in half on the central fold of the sleeve,the two halves of the extension having inclined edges which intersectthe base portion at points within the end closure and which convergetoward the central fold of the sleeve in inward direction, and saidextension having an inner end edge at right angles to said central foldand being free of the closure, the sleeve having two inclined creases,one in each half thereof, extending from a common point in the centralfold of the sleeve to said inclined edges of the extension, said creasesdiverging away from the central fold of the sleeve in inward directionand defining in conjunction with the central fold of the sleeve aclosure flap adapted to be tucked into the inner end of the sleeve, saidcommon point being located inward of the inner end edge of the valveflap and spaced from the inner end edge of the sleeve a distance suchthat said closure flap, when tucked completely into the inner end of thesleeve, extends substantially to said bag end closure.

4. In a bag as set forth in claim 3, the bag being a multi-ply paperbag, the sleeve being constituted by a blank of paper inserted betweenthe inner ply and the next ply and being adhered to the inner ply.

5. In a bag as set forth in claim 3, the bag being a multi-ply paperbag, the sleeve being constituted by an integral extension of the innerply, the inner ply having a cut-out at the end of the bag opposite thevalve corresponding in shape to the sleeve, and the inner ply beingadhered to the next ply around the cut-out.

6. In a bag as set forth in claim 3, the extension having a nose portiondefined by the inner end edge thereof and relatively short side edgesparallel to the central fold, the corners of the nose being cut off atan angle.

7. In a bag as set forth in claim 6, the sleeve having a central slit atits inner end, said inclined edges of the extension diverging at anangle of 45 toward the central fold, and said creases diverging at anangle of 45 away from the central fold and intersecting said inclinededges generally at the mid-points of said inclined edges, whereby theside edges of the nose are generally coincident with the inner edge ofthe base portion when the closure flap is tucked completely into theinner end of the sleeve.

8. In a bag, a valve for receiving a filling spout, said valve extendinginto the bag in the direction of the length of said valve, said valvehaving adjacent sides and means at an angle to the length of the valveforming hinging portions at the inner end of the valve adapted to beforced into a position forming an obstruction against outward flow ofbag contents.

9. In a bag as set forth in claim 8, said means being constituted bycreases in the adjacent sides of the valve.

10. In a bag, a valve for receiving a filling spout, said valveextending into the bag in the direction of the length of said valve,said valve having adjacent sides and a reversely folded generallytriangular inner end fiap disposed between said sides, said flap beingdefined by fold lines which radiate from a point on the center line ofthe valve and which diverge in inward direction, said flap itself beingfolded in half on the center line of the valve.

11. In a bag, a valve for receiving a filling spout, said valveextending into the bag in the direction of the length of said valve,said valve having adjacent sides and means at an angle to the length ofthe valve forming hinging portions at the inner end of the valve adaptedto be forced into a position forming an obstruction against outward flowof bag contents, said valve further having a reversely folded generallytriangular inner end flap disposed between said sides and included insaid hinging portions, said flap being defined by fold lines whichradiate from a point on the center line of the valve and which divergein inward direction, said flap itself being folded in half on the centerline of the valve.

12. In a bag, a valve extending into the bag at one corner and adaptedto receive a filling spout, the valve including an inwardly extendingflexible valve sleeve, the bag having a closure at the respective endthereof, the sleeve being folded on a central fold line and havingadjacent sides, the sleeve comprising a base portion having side marginscaught in said end closure, and a folded central extension projectinginward from the base portion, the two halves of the folded extensionhaving inclined edges which intersect edges of the base portion atpoints spaced inward from said end closure, said inclined edgesconverging toward the central fold of the sleeve in inward direction,the extension having an inner edge extending crosswise of the centralfold and being free of said end closure, and said sleeve having areversely folded generally triangular inner end flap disposed betweenits sides.

13. In a bag, a valve extending into the bag at one corner and adaptedfor insertion of a filling spout, the valve including an inwardlyextending flexible valve sleeve, the bag having a closure at therespective end thereof, the sleeve being folded in half on a centralfold spaced from the closure, the sleeve having an inner end extensionhaving inclined edges converging toward the central fold in inwarddirection and being free of the closure, the sleeve having two inclinedcreases, one in each half thereof, extending from a common point in saidcentral fold to said inclined edges, said creases diverging away fromthe central fold in inward direction and defining in conjunction withthe central fold a flap adapted to be tucked into a position blockingthe inner end of the valve, said sleeve having a reversely foldedgenerally triangular inner end flap disposed between the sides of thesleeve, said flap being defined by fold lines which radiate from saidcommon point and which diverge away from the central fold at an angleless than the angle of said inclined creases.

14. In a bag, a tucked-in valve flap at one of the corners at one end ofthe bag, the bag having a closure at said end, the valve flap having acentral fold spaced from said closure, a flexible sleeve projecting fromthe valve flap into the bag, said sleeve being folded in half on acentral fold in line with the central fold of the valve flap, saidsleeve comprising a base portion having a total width corresponding tothe total Width of the inner end edge of the valve flap, the sidemargins of the base portion being caught in said end closure, saidsleeeve having an extension projecting inward from said base portion,said extension being folded in half on the central fold of the sleeve,the two halves of the extension having inclined edges which intersectthe base portion at points within the end closure and which converge atan angle of 45 toward the central fold of the sleeve in inwarddirection, and said extension having an inner end edge at right anglesto said central fold and being free of the closure, the sleeve havingtwo inclined creases, one in each half thereof, extending from a commonpoint in the central fold of the sleeve to said inclined edges of theextension, said creases diverging at an angle of 45 away from thecentral fold of the sleeve in inward direction and defining inconjunction with the central fold of the sleeve a closure flap adaptedto be tucked into the inner end of the sleeve, said common point beinglocated inward of the inner end edge of the valve flap and spaced fromthe inner end edge of the sleeve a distance such that said closure flap,when tucked completely into the inner end of the sleeve, extendssubstantially to said bag end closure, said sleeve having a reverselyfolded generally triangular inner end flap disposed between the sides ofthe sleeve, said triangular flap being defined by fold lines whichextend from said common point to said inner end edge and which divergeaway from the central fold at an angle less than 45 15. In a bag, atucked-in valve flap at one of the corners at one end of the bag, thebag having a closure at said end, the valve flap having a central foldspaced from said closure, a flexible sleeve projecting from the valveflap into the bag, said sleeve being folded in half on a central fold inline with the central fold of the valve flap, said sleeve comprising abase portion having a total width corresponding to the total width ofthe inner end edge of the valve flap, said base portion projectinginward beyond the inner end edge of the valve flap, the side margins ofthe base portion being caught in said end closure, said sleeve having anextension projecting inward from said base portion, said extension beingfolded in half on the central fold of the sleeve, the two halves of theextension having inclined edges which converge toward the central foldof the sleeve in inward direction, said extension having an inner endedge at right angles to said central fold, said extension having acentral slit extending outward from its inner end edge in line with itscentral fold, and said extension having lines of weakness extending fromits inclined edges generally at right angles to said inclined edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.23,230 Lee May 16, 1950 2,031,915 Verwys Feb. 25, 1936 2,040,335 RosmaitMay 12, 1936 2,040,336 Rosmait May 12, 1936 2,077,341 Martin et al Apr.13, 1937 2,102,685 Du Bois Dec. 21, 1937 2,189,847 Verwys Feb. 13, 19402,307,111 Contryman Jan. 5, 1943 2,378,285 Contryman June 12, 19452,668,643 Irving Feb. 9, 1954 2,751,142 Williams et al June 19, 19562,772,823 Plamann Dec. 4, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 22,107 Australia July 15,1930 625,519 Great Britain June 29, 1949

